Tag Archive | Writing

More Cute Puppies?

Next month will mark the second anniversary of my first published novel, “Marked.” Since that time, I’ve released nine other novels. Yes, I’ve been typing like a manic fool!

I’m forever grateful to my editors, Cindy Brannam and Alicia Dean. They keep me on my toes and make certain my finished product is the best it can be. I also want to take this opportunity to thank my cover artist, Rae Monet, flat designer, Karen Duvall, and my amazing formatter, Jesse Gordon.

Of course, I wouldn’t be where I am today without readers! You all have blessed me with encouragement, kind words, and the ability to keep doing what I love. THANK YOU!

But what does this have to do with cute puppies? No, it wasn’t a teaser just to get you dog lovers reading my post!

Sometime ago, I wrote a blog called, “Who Wouldn’t Like a Cute Puppy?” Actually, the post was written in November of 2013 if you’d like to read it!

After all this time, and some reviews that could easily get me down, I felt it was time to revisit those thoughts.

Creative people have a terrible tendency of focusing on the negative. A singer might look at a room full of smiling faces during a performance as a bad experience. Why? Because the guy in the corner constantly frowned. The singer singles him out and tries as best she can to make him smile, but the more she sings, the deeper his scowl becomes. She takes it as a personal affront and ignores the rest of the crowd. They cheer and clap at the end of the song, but her heart is in her shoes, because she couldn’t make the stranger smile.

She doesn’t consider that perhaps his girlfriend just broke up with him and the song reminds him of her. Or maybe, someone close to him has passed away and nothing anyone could do would make him smile. There is also the possibility that he truly doesn’t like the way she sings. Hmm…

Bottom line. People have different tastes.

Whenever I stroll along in public and see someone carrying a puppy or walking a dog, I think of one of my dear friends. She views dogs, like I see snakes. If someone came toward me with a snake coiled around them, I’d run the opposite direction. I sometimes even squeal when I’m digging in my garden and a larger-than-normal worm flips up in the soil. Puppies and dogs, however, draw me in. I want to pet them, love on them, and take them home! My poor friend becomes physically ill around them, and she can’t understand why they’re allowed out in public places.

We all have different likes and dislikes. As a writer, it’s important that I write what moves me. But I have to be realistic and know that not everyone will be moved by it. Someone will think it’s the worst book they’ve ever read, while another person will deem it the best. And hopefully not just my mom! She’s a little biased.

Criticism is tough to take, but no matter what we do in life, it’s going to be there. It starts when we’re little–children can be awfully cruel to each other–and continues as we grow. What matters is how we deal with it.

I’m writing this to remind myself and hopefully help all of you! I was told more than once not to read my reviews, but it’s hard not to. So when I do, I decipher the validity of what’s been said. If something critical is pointed out consistently, then I know I need to dig deeper and see if it’s something that should be ‘fixed.’ As of yet, I’m glad to say that the negative comments have been few and far between. As for the validity, I believe the comments were valid for that individual. My books weren’t their taste. And that’s okay, because many other people loved them.

Exposing ourselves to the bare bone isn’t always easy. Putting creative work in front of the masses is scary to say the least! But, I get incredible joy sharing my stories with the world. I love bringing characters to life and making them feel real. When my readers discuss them with me as though they’re someone we both know personally, I want to do a happy dance. And I do. Internally. I don’t want them to think I’m nuttier than they already believe me to be!

Thank you for reading my post! If you’re a writer, WRITE ON, and always keep your chin up.

If you’re a reader, thank you from all of us authors! Without you, we’d shrivel.

Cute little puppy, or horrid beast?

E-Book or Paper?

Jan28

When I first began writing and then moved forward to publication, I contemplated format and assumed that the people who would want to read my books would prefer ones they could hold in their hands. A paperback or hardcover book, not an e-reader.

Then, after Marked was published, I was astonished that the majority of readers were buying the e-book, not the paperback. I understand the convenience, not to mention the lower cost. E-books make sense. They’re much easier to transport when moving, they don’t take up all your shelf space, and they don’t tear. However, I’m still inclined to prefer a book I can smell, feel, and mark with a magnetic bookmark.

I thought that maybe my desire for the old-fashioned kind has to do with my age. Yes, I’m fifty-something and not ashamed to say so. I’m not as skilled at modern devices as the younger generation, but I pride myself in learning. I’m grateful for the advances in technology. Years ago, I wrote my first manuscript on a typewriter. I much prefer my laptop!

So, to test my theory that only us ‘old folks’ prefer paper books, I queried a group of high school students I recently spoke to about my writing process. These students were, for the most part, aspiring writers. I was curious as to what they like to read, but then when I asked whether they preferred e-books or real books, they unanimously said real. Like me, they said they like to hold a book. Granted, you can hold an e-reader, but it’s not quite the same. Of course, they spend most of their time on electronic devices, so a paper book is a nice change.

So now I throw it out to you. What do you prefer? Are e-books a fad that will fade, will they continue to be simply an option, or do you feel that eventually the paper books will be obsolete and there will no longer be a choice? Curious minds want to know …

I prefer a paper book!

A Golden Life .99 cent Promo!

Dec20

I didn’t want any of you who follow my blog on a regular basis to miss out on the .99 cent promo for “A Golden Life!”

Starting today thru midnight on December 26th, you can purchase the e-book version on Amazon for this low price. I hope you’ll give it a read!

The story is set in the beautiful mountains of Gatlinburg, TN, but nothing about the plot is typical. It will take you on an unusual journey to say the least.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017Z6CREI

A Golden Life

Something magical is about to happen…

Traci Oliver may be a best-selling romance author, but for the first time in her writing career she can’t type a word on the blank page. Book number fifty is supposed to be her best ever—her golden book—but inspiration joined her husband in the grave. How can she write about love with a shattered heart?

At the precise moment of the anniversary of his death, a knock on her door changes everything.

When characters from her books take on human form and tell her that they’ve come to help her, she doubts her sanity. Are they real, or has she lost her mind?

Her doctor says grieving is a process, but she never dreamed that part of the process would bring her heroes to life. She wonders if all people experience this kind of thing, or is it a weird phenomenon reserved solely for romance writers? Truthfully, the only hero she wants in her life is her husband, and she can never be with him again.

Or maybe she can …

I’m Still Here!

Nov6

First, I beg forgiveness for being so absent lately! The good thing is that my lack of posting is due to flying fingers finishing up two manuscripts for publication this month.

I’ve already added these books on my book tab, so please check them out! “Consequences” is Book 2 in my Southern Secrets Saga. I appreciate all of the nice emails and messages I’ve received asking about its release. It thrills me to know that you all are enjoying this new series. The story is close to my heart. My very first baby!

Today is the anniversary of my writing journey. Five years ago I began typing my first manuscript. Much different from the plays and songs I’d written, but I found it to be my ‘thing.’ I’ve not stopped since.

My seventh release, “A Golden Life,” will be available soon. It’s currently being formatted. In this book, I truly bare my soul. I shed a lot of tears writing it, but even so, I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun writing a book. And saying fun in regard to this book is kind of odd, because it’s about death. It’s the story of a woman trying to cope with the loss of her husband. I think you’ll find it a bit surprising how she starts to heal. Yes, it’s a love story. A very different kind of love story.

If you’d like to receive my monthly newsletters, be sure to sign up by clicking the ‘newsletter’ tab at the top of the page. In my newsletter I reveal my covers and share release dates, etc. I also throw in a few personal tidbits!

And please, if you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to contact me! I’d love to hear from you!

Okay…back to writing. Southern Secrets Saga Book 3 coming soon…

Have an awesome day!

We Need Each Other

Sep15

I’ve had many jobs over the years. The one thing that stands out in every one of them is the people I’ve worked with. I can honestly say that I’ve adored 99% of them. We won’t talk about that 1%. Some of the jobs weren’t exactly what I wanted to do at the time, but I made the best of them. The people around me certainly helped!

Now that I’m a stay-at-home writer, I have little interaction with other people. I relate to the characters I’m writing and talk to them. It’s enjoyable, but it’s not the same. So I make a point of getting out and having real conversations with genuine people. If I spend more than two days at home locked away with my laptop, I get cranky. Unfortunately, my poor husband pays the price of my grumpiness when he comes home from work in the evening.

What I’ve determined from all this is that we need each other. That should be a given, but trust me on this…it slaps you in the face when you’re alone for hours on end. I love my career, but I’m a people person and need to have that interaction. Besides, if I stayed locked away forever, how would I get inspired for my stories?

I often have people joke with me and ask if I’m going to write about them. If I do, they’ll never know. I pick up traits and add them to my characters. What’s really fun is that if I have something that happens to me that really upsets me, I can write about it. Plot it into a story. It’s self-therapy!

I hope you enjoy what you do for a living. I read a statistic once that indicated a very small percentage of people actually like what they do. They only do it because they have to. They need the income. (Of course, we all need that!) It’s sad that people spend the majority of their day doing what they don’t want to do. It reminds me of something I was told as a child, “Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like.”

I’ve been in that position. But even when I was, I put a smile on my face and made the best of it. AND I kept striving to reach my ultimate goal and follow my dream. Achieving what I set out to do wouldn’t be so fulfilling if I didn’t have someone to share it with. On a typical day my dear husband gets bombarded with chatter when he comes home. Most of the time ‘un’ cranky chatter. I LOVE to write, but I’ve learned to break up my days with time out in the real world and time at home with my laptop. It’s made a tremendous difference!

WRITE ON!!

We need each other!

Goodreads Book Giveaway! Deceptions

Aug18

Goodreads Book Giveaway

I’m so excited to share my new release, “Deceptions.” This is the first book in the Southern Secrets Saga. I’ll be giving away four paperback copies, so be sure to click the link below and enter!

Here’s a little more about my book:

A little more than six years have passed since the end of the War Between the States, and life in Mobile, Alabama isn’t easy.

Claire Montgomery is twenty-five and unmarried. After years of listening to her mama’s caution regarding men, she’s determined to stay single. Until Dr. Andrew Fletcher arrives in her little town on the bay and she’s irresistibly smitten.

Andrew tends to the elite at Mobile City Hospital, but also cares for the poor Negroes in a less desirable part of the city. Despite criticism from the hospital administrator, he’s determined to stand by his principles and help anyone in need. Regardless of the color of their skin.

Their whirlwind romance is quickly followed by a wedding proposal. But Claire’s world crashes around her when she discovers a painful truth. With no choice but to run away, she leaves Mobile and soon realizes she’s carrying his child.

Every decision Claire makes changes the lives of those she loves. The secrets and deceptions she creates blur the line between lies and truth, until she can’t discern one from the other.

Deceptions

by Jeanne Hardt

Giveaway ends August 31, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Growing Older

Aug6

Growing up I often heard ‘older’ people make comments like:

“Every day is a blessing.”

“Every day above ground is a great, great day.”

“Enjoy being young, because it doesn’t last forever.”

And one of my favorites, “Just you wait…one day you won’t be so skinny.”

I think none of those truly sink in until a person reaches at least 50. Of course, ‘they’ say that 50 is the new 30. I kind of like that! As I get older, my body doesn’t like to work the way it used to. I get tired easier, and this last move proved to me I had muscles that hadn’t seen the light of day in some time.

I make a point to take good care of myself, eat right, and exercise, but no matter what I do, the clock keeps ticking. None of us can stop it, so why fight it? I wake up each morning thanking God for the new day, groan for a few seconds as I place my feet on the floor, then put a smile on my face and head for the coffee pot.

Yes, each day is a blessing and I’m using all my years of experience to write the best books I possibly can. I certainly relate better to ALL generations. It’s easier to understand every phase of life once you’ve reached it. In my mind, I’m only half-way through it. I figure I have lots more things to experience, and I’ll do my best to stay healthy so I can enjoy them. And though I’m not as skinny as I once was, that’s okay. I guess I’ll just use another one of those old sayings and quote, “There’s more of me to love.”

I once was a skinny teen!

Older and wiser!

Monica McCabe’s Debut Novel!

Jul10

Today I’d like to welcome a dear friend to my site … Monica McCabe!

Monica has a unique flair for writing stories filled with action, adventure, suspense, and romance. I told her once that her writing is like “Indiana Jones” meets “Romancing the Stone!”

Her debut novel, “Diamond Legacy,” was just released! It’s the first book in her Jewel series. I hope you’ll “give her a read!”

DIAMOND LEGACY

What happens when a dental zoologist flies to Botswana to give a rare albino hippo a root canal? She lands smack in the middle of a diamond smuggling ring and right in the way of an undercover agent for International Diamond Security—one who knows firsthand the horror of conflict diamonds. Determined to bring down the cartel, he accepts the veterinarian’s help. But when the past catches up to him and the stakes skyrocket, he must risk all to save her from an evil that has haunted him for fifteen years.

http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Legacy-Monica-McCabe-ebook/dp/B00ONTR8Y0/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/diamond-legacy-monica-mccabe/1120611660?ean=9781616507077

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/diamond-legacy

Author Bio…

Adventuring is in Monica McCabe’s blood. She’s addicted to travel, National Parks, & exploring new places and mysterious locales. She’s climbed glaciers and ancient Mayan pyramids, dived shipwrecks and reef caves, camped in Sasquatch country, and drove across the USA three times. When not traveling she’s writing romantic action adventure books, playing outdoors, or researching that next big trip. Diamond Legacy, her first romantic suspense novel, will be released July 7, 2015 under Lyrical Press / Kensington Publishing.

Social media accts:

Monica McCabe

www.monicamccabe.net

www.facebook.com/monica.McCabe

https://twitter.com/monicamccabe

What’s Your Taste?

Jun24

We all have the same five senses, but because we’re all different, so are our tastes.

A person who loves to listen to classical music likely won’t care for rap. And vice-versa. The same goes for visual art. A lover of Michelangelo may not care for Picasso.

Let’s not forget the taste buds. Kids normally don’t like broccoli, but will devour candy. I happen to like both! Of course, when I was a kid, I turned my nose up at the broccoli. Yes, tastes can change.

Just like with every other form of art, people have certain likes and dislikes in the books they choose to read. If you’ve been following my blog, then you know I’m an author. If you’ve thought about giving my books a try, I’m happy to say that the e-book version of “Marked” is on sale now on Amazon for .99 cents! This sale will only be going on for another few days, so be sure to download it soon. I hope you’ll find that my writing suits your tastes! To find out more about my other books, be sure to check out the books tab on the menu above.

Here’s the link for “Marked.”

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L4AHXEG

Thanks for stopping by!

Chasing the ‘WAS’ Monster

Jun18

I’ve been thinking about this post for some time now and kept asking myself if I’m qualified enough to write it. I decided that even if I haven’t fully learned how to wrangle this beast, I’m still going to pass on what I’ve learned.

Every time I release a new book, I hope it’s better than the last. Not saying that my first releases weren’t good, but I honestly believe that the more I write, the more I grow as an author.

So, what’s a WAS monster? If you’re a writer, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you. If you’re not a writer, then maybe I shouldn’t be telling you! I risk having you go back to my older books and look for ‘was.’ You’ll find it. Frequently. Was isn’t such a bad thing, (especially in dialog), but what I’ve learned is that it can be improved on. For the most part, taking was out of the equation brings more action to a sentence.

For instance, instead of saying: The man was walking down the street, I’d simplify it to: The man walked down the street. It goes from being passive to active. Simple, but effective.

And here’s the funny thing…once you start tackling this monster, you’ll find really creative ways to dig deeper into your character’s point of view.

I’ve been working on a rewrite of my first manuscript. I came to this ‘was’ sentence: When Reverend Brown announced their engagement and upcoming wedding, it was no surprise to the congregation.

Not a bad sentence, right? Well…when I looked at it, I thought, that’s kind of flat. Besides, this is an important part of the plot. I needed to make an improvement. That simple sentence became this:

When Reverend Brown announced their engagement and upcoming wedding, the congregation stirred with instant chatter. It didn’t surprise Claire. They’d expected it for some time. If they only knew the truth. Now that would create real chatter. The kind of gossip they’d love to share.

In my opinion, a HUGE improvement. I can’t tell you how much fun I’m having doing a ‘was’ word search. I believe that little trick alone will substantially improve my work. Let me know what you think!

I don’t care about ‘was’ I just want a cookie!